Are you going on a long flight this year? Are you concerned about the health risks when flying, such as deep vein thrombosis?
Long-haul flights can pose problems to our health, such as dehydration, jet lag and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT are blood clots that form in the deep veins, which aren’t visible on the skin.

Swelling of the ankles, feet and legs is caused by an accumulation of fluid. Known medically as peripheral edema, swollen ankle is a common condition, which can affect just one or both sides of the body.

A leg ulcer is an open sore which develops under broken skin when bacteria or air gets into the wound. Leg ulcers most commonly appear on the inside of the leg, above the ankle. As leg ulcers can be painful and debilitating, treatment is usually required to heal the wound.

Does running cause varicose veins? Do runners with varicose veins underperform? Does running regularly help with the symptoms of running? If you are a runner and are worried about varicose veins, or perhaps suffer from this common condition and are thinking about taking up running to help alleviate symptoms, take a look some of the ways varicose veins can impact running and vice-versa.

What are varicose veins and what causes them?

Varicose veins are swollen veins which tend to be purple or bluish in colour. These swollen veins using occur in the legs.

Varicose veins are caused by weakened valves in the veins which causes the blood to collect in the legs and pressure to build up. The veins then become large, twisted and weak.

If you suffer from varicose veins should you run?

As long as you are not in any pain or discomfort from the swollen veins, you can keep running. It is wise to run on softer terrain such as grass or an athletics track to soften the movement. You should wear well-cushioned trainers to absorb some of the shock running causes on the legs.

Can running help varicose veins?

Exercise like running improves the blood circulation, stimulating blood flow in the arm and legs, as well as building strength. Whilst low-impact exercise such as cycling and walking is generally better suited to sufferers of varicose veins, running can help improve the circulation of the blood and build strength in the legs.

As mentioned above, if you are running and have varicose veins, try and make your runs as low-impact as possible.

Seek medical treatment for varicose veins

If you are serious about running and suffer from varicose veins, it could be that the condition is hampering your running performance. It was recently reported in the Daily Mail that a 60-year-old runner was able to jog longer distances after having cosmetic surgery to remove her varicose veins.

If you are concerned about varicose veins and running or any type of sport or exercise, it is advisable to seek advice from a medical professional.

The Vascular Consultancy can provide advice on what types of treatment for this common vascular condition would be right for you.

Get in touch with the Vascular Consultancy team today to discuss your vein health concerns and queries.

Due to the strain surplus weight puts on the body, obesity has long been associated with putting people at risk of developing certain cancers, heart disease and diabetes. Carrying around dangerously high amounts of fat can also lead to leg problems, including venous disease, lymphedema, circulation problems, varicose veins and issues with the feet.

Varicose veins

Obesity and an inactive lifestyle is linked to causing varicose veins and worsening the condition. Research shows that people who are severely overweight are at greater risk of developing varicose veins. Whilst the exact reason for this remains unclear, it is believed to be due to the fact that obesity negatively affects the blood circulation.

As excessive weight is implicated with a lack of exercise and an immobile lifestyle, the blood does not circulate round the body as efficiently as it should.

As both varicose veins and spider veins are primarily circulatory problems, becoming more active, losing weight and improving the blood circulation, can help prevent the onset of varicose veins and other leg problems.

Blood clots

The risk of developing blood clots, or Deep Vein Thrombosis, is also implicated with obesity. Sitting for long periods, inactive lifestyles and failing to get adequate exercise, means the blood struggles to reach the heart. Consequently, the blood can pool, increasing the risk of clots being formed.

Again, losing weight and becoming more active can improve the circulation, thus making us less prone to blood clots.

Lymphedema

Lymphedema occurs when the body pools excessive amounts of lymph fluid in the subcutaneous space. The swelling is most typically seen in the legs and arms, though can affect other parts of the body.

According to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, 75% of lymphedema incidents are caused by obesity. Excessive fat deposits create pressure on the lymph channels in the body. Such fatty deposits can cause inflammation, which can destroy the lymph vessels, and increase the risk of lymphedema.

Adopting a healthier lifestyle, which combines a well-balanced, low fat diet with exercise, can make us less susceptible to being at risk of vascular conditions and leg problems.

If you would like to advice about treatment for varicose veins and other leg problems, get in touch with the Vascular Consultancy, specialists in treating vascular conditions.

Spiders veins, known medically as telangiectasias, are clusters of small blood vessels which develop near the surface of the skin. These tiny vessels are typically purple, red or blue in appearance and resemble a spider’s web, hence their name.

This common condition is caused by structural abnormalities of the blood vessels, which can be caused by poor blood circulation.

Whilst spiders’ veins can be treated, typically by compression stockings to help improve the circulation by increasing pressure in the legs, a regular exercise program and weight loss can help reduce the symptoms of spiders’ veins.

Walking

Walking is one of the best exercises you can do to help improve the symptoms of spider’s veins. This low-impact exercise strengthens and stretches the leg muscles and improves the flow of blood. Walking at a fairly brisk pace regularly can significantly improve the condition of the veins.

Cycling

The motion of cycling works out the calf muscles, thereby improving the calf pump blood flow. Whether it’s on an outdoor bike or a stationary one, cycling is a great form of exercise for improving spider’s veins and vascular health. The great thing about cycling is that, unlike other types of exercise, it doesn’t jolt the joints or bones.

Yoga

Yoga stretches the muscles and gets the blood moving around the body, boosting our overall circulation. Many yoga stretches require the legs to be raised above the heart, which helps the blood drain from the lower legs, and by doing so improving circulation and alleviating symptoms associated with spider’s veins.

Jogging

Jogging at a gentler pace than running gives the circulation a kick start without the negative implications to the bones and joints running can cause. Jogging helps the blood pump up from the legs, eliminate toxins and give our hearts a healthy workhout. By improving the blood circulation, jogging can be a great form of exercise to help combat problems associated with spider’s veins.

If you would like to talk to a vascular health expert about spider’s veins or other vascular problems, get in touch with the Vascular Consultancy, specialists in treating vascular conditions.

It is not uncommon for child to sweat during the night. When the sweating is severe, it is referred to a condition known as hyperhidrosis. There are numerous causes of excessive sweating amongst children during the night.

Below are some of the most common causes of hyperhidrosis in children.

Obesity

Children who are severely overweight can be prone to sweating profusely at night as well as during the day. Carrying extra weight and a lack of physical activity can cause obese children to sweat heavily.

Though not all sweating is weight-related and can often be the sign of a medical condition.

Fever

If a child is feverish, the body temperature often increases, leading to excessive sweating, particularly during the night.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) results from the infection of bacteria which is transmitted through the air by an infected person. TB usually affects the lungs, though it can affect other organs in the body as well.

One common symptom of TB in both children and adults is excessive sweating, which is usually the result of changes in the body’s thermoregulatory system. Night sweating in TB patients is also believed to be the result of the production of cytokine by specific cells of the immune system.

Cancer

Hyperhidrosis can also occur in the early stages of cancer with children. Lymphoma is a type of cancer which causes excessive sweating at night.

Emotional conditions

Anxiety, stress and other emotional conditions can lead to children sweating profusely during the night.

Oral medications for excessive sweating in children can be used as a form of treatment, including oxybutynin hydrochloride, glycopyrrolate and propantheline. However, many doctors’ advice that treatment should be more moderate until a child reaches teenage years. If the sweating is caused by an emotional condition, seeking psychological help to address the root of the condition would be advisable.

If you have any queries or concerns about hyperhidrosis and other vascular conditions in children or adults, get in touch with Daryll baker, a Consultant Vascular Surgeon. Daryll Baker runs a vascular practice in both the NHS and privately, helping patients with vascular conditions from across Europe and the Middle East.

Varicose veins, they’re unsightly and a nuisance, but they’re not life-threatening, right? Not necessarily. According to a study published recently on The JAMA Network, varicose veins could be a warning sign for potentially deadly clots known as deep vein thrombosis.

Half of the patients in the research had varicose veins and half didn’t. It found that the group of patients with varicose veins had higher incident rates for deep vein thrombosis. According to Dr. Shyueluen Chang, first author of the study:

“[Varicose veins patients] had about a five times greater risk of developing deep vein thrombosis than the other group.”

Despite the findings of the study, the researchers say that more needs to be done to understand the relationship between whether varicose veins directly result in blood clots forming, or whether the two conditions merely have a similar origin.

Varicose veins, which are typically caused by age and the weakening of the blood vessels, pregnancy and obesity, are rarely associated with serious health risks, unlike other vascular diseases, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can pose as a more serious health risk.

DVT usually occurs in a deep leg vein, which runs through the muscles of the thigh and the calf. The clot can cause swelling and pain and can lead to serious conditions such as pulmonary embolism. A pulmonary embolism refers to when a piece of the blood clot breaks off and goes into the bloodstream, blocking a blood vessel in the lungs.

If you are worried at all about varicose veins or other vascular conditions, it is wise to seek advice from a doctor or a specialist in vascular health to discuss the condition and the best form of treatment.

The vascular vein experts at the Vascular Consultancy can offer you advice about the common conditions that affect the health of the veins and what would be the best type of treatment for you.

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